What would have been just another review, suddenly isn't. I just can't give the straightforward review on this album that I would normally have written. Having completed the Bunny Brown "Ready For The World" review earlier this week, this second Studio One review for this week's update is now written solely as a double tribute. Not only to Chandley Duffus, whose memorial release this album is, but also to the producer and pioneer of Jamaican music who gave us so many wonderful classic riddims, tracks and albums on his Studio One label, Sir Clement Coxsone Dodd, who unexpectedly passed away. Just 4 days after Brentford Road in Kingston was renamed Studio One Boulevard, in honour of this man's label that is often described as the Jamaican Motown, which is nothing less than flattering Berry Gordy's label. He was not only a founder of Jamaican music, lots of soundboys mean Studio One when talking about 'Foundation'-tunes, he also created the entire system by which the music works to this day. He was the first producer to use a riddim track more than once for different songs by different artists and also among the first in Jamaica to introduce DJs. This versioning doesn't happen in any other form of music and is the cornerstone of todays dancehall. His influence has reached far beyond Jamaica and reggae, into rap, hip hop but even jungle, garage and just pop music. C.S.Dodd will live on in his music. A cornerstone of the foundation of reggae music.
Chandley Duffus had a couple of very fine tunes in the early reggae era for Lee Perry, but was years prior to that one of the first Jamaican artists to be recorded, and he had a big hit in 1961(!) with his duet with Annett Clarke "Million Dollar Baby" also included here. The opening track "How Many More" is a take on the John King tune with great vocals, yet having a bit of a schmaltzy feeling. "Why You A Gwan So" has female backup-vocals and a vocal intonation that bring back memories of Lee Perry's heyday. But the big tunes on this album are the compiled classic ska tunes from 1963 and 1964, like "Give To Get", "Dorene", and "I Bet You Don't Know" a track in fact voiced for King Edwards' label, and recut 10 years later in 1973 for Lee 'Scratch' Perry. Another King Edwards scorcher is the classic "Something On My Mind". "Thing Ain't Going Right" for Coxsone, "The Lord Will Make" and "No More Troubles" are vintage early 60s ska tunes, followed by the aforementioned duet "Million Dollar Baby" that is more JA-blues than ska. "Are You Lonely For Me Baby" has also that blues feel, but the vocals are in a rough sort of blues-style. "Take Head" (probably misspelled, it sounds more like the better understandable "Take Heed") is taking us back to the old ska style, before we're taking into country/blues-territory on "Border Line". Then we're treated to the 1964 anti-imperialism tune about "Christopher Columbus". "Am Gonna Send You Back" and "Keep Your Big Mouth Shut" are two more ska scorchers that round off this memorial release. Fine tunes, but unfortunately hampered by a disappointing sound quality. I would nevertheless advice to grab it when you see it. And I'm wondering what will happen to the 'Studio One 50th Anniversary' releases that have been such a treat for us so far this year. I hope as a tribute to the legacy Coxsone Dodd left us, we will see many more fine Studio One (re)releases in this series this year.